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Broadcom unveils single-chip 802.11n solution

Chipmaker Broadcom has announced a new 802.11n chip that combines an …

At the Global Wi-Fi Summit in Beijing, Broadcom unveiled its latest bit of silicon, a single-chip 65nm 802.11n solution. Dubbed the BCM4322, the new chip combines a power amplifier, baseband MAC controller, and radio on a single piece of silicon. Kevin Mukai, senior product manager for Broadcom's wireless LAN division, told Ars that the BCM4322 is the first chip to offer actual 802.11n throughput of 200Mbps, which he said exceeds the capabilities of current 802.11n silicon.

Previously, Broadcom's 802.11n silicon was fabbed on a 130nm or 180nm process and had the chip's functions spread across more than one die. Moving to a 65nm process will lead to cheaper chips and better battery life, with Mukai saying that hardware using the BCM4322 will see power savings of over 50 percent.

What's in it for us? Cheaper 802.11n gear due to the 40 percent cost savings over the older chips, and 802.11n showing up in more form factors due to the lower power requirements. Broadcom also has high hopes that the BCM4322 will show up in consumer electronics devices that typically lack WiFi functionality, like camcorders, televisions, and set-top boxes.

The chips are sampling now and will hit the market in the first half of 2008.

Eric Bangeman
Eric has been using personal computers since 1980 and writing about them at Ars Technica since 2003, where he currently serves as Managing Editor. Twitter@ericbangeman